Monday 6th September 2010 - Timothy Elliott Mitchell

On Friday 3rd September at 0707 Timothy Elliott made his very rapid but grand entrance into the world. At home. Yes, our house. We didn't make it to the hospital. Months of planning out the window in a flash.

Here he his, in Mum's arms the next day. Mum feeling a little sore, but a lot happier than this picture shows. We all are. See that lady? That lady is my wife. I am proud of her. I love her. She did exactly to the letter what God created her to do. Without fuss. Without one word of complaint. Willing submitting herself. Lovingly in fact. I am very pleased that Christ gave her to me to be my partner throughout life.
The birth plan went something like this. When labour started we were to phone the midwife. She would come over and pick up Stephanie and transport her to hospital. I would take Michele and Cathy over to a friends house then proceed to the hospital. That is not quite what happened.
This is roughly what happened. At 0410 Stephanie woke me to say that her waters had broken. No contractions. No need for panic. A very wet bad had the sheets changed. Stephanie had a shower and phoned the midwife. We all went back to bed waiting for the contractions to start. At 0535 Stephanie tells me that she has a contraction. Mild, but enough to get her attention. And mine. We doze on. At 0552 another contraction. At 0603 another contraction. Then they started in earnest. At 0630 we again phone the midwife to let her know that things are proceeding a bit faster than we anticipated. I wake the girls, and phone the friends and organise, still not aware of what was about to take place, that when she got her husband off to work would she come around and get the girls. At this point we are still confident of making the hospital. I organise the dressing of the girls and Michele's lunch for school and keep a tract of what is happening with Steph. By now I think we both know this baby is not going to be born in a hospital. We again phone the midwife to find out where she is. She is 15 minutes away. Tell midwife to come straight to our house. I leave the kids to get their own breakfast and dress themselves. The dressing bit is already done. I also tell them to stay at the kitchen end of the house. They do. They are magnificent. I am impressed with our two girls.
I go back, find every towel we posses plus an exercise mat we had got. I had checked on Stephanie quite a few times. But this time I find her on her knees on the floor using the bed to support her top end. Some how I get her off the floor and get the mat under her and get her back into her position. It was an excellent birthing position. I look down at that end. Now we have a "Show". Then the door bell rings. I fly down the passage, open the front door and inform the midwife that we are birthing. Right now. She goes back to her car to get the oxygen and other stuff.. I think what does she want the oxygen for. We are having a baby, not dying. I go back to Stephanie who is moaning. Loudly. Very loudly. I look down and see Timothy's head "crowning". I drop down on the floor to support him as Stephanie births him. Now there is only Stephanie, myself and Timothy. Time stands still. Now nothing else exists. There is just us. Stephanie pushes. Timothy's head slowly appears. I go to support his head. But then the contraction stops and his head recedes back so that his chin is resting against Steph. Another push. I notice now that Timothy is looking at me, mouth wide open. This time he turns 90 degrees and half his body appears. Now he blinks and opens his mouth more and takes his first breath of air. I am now supporting his upper body. The rest is still in Steph. He is crying. Loudly. Another push and his body does another turn as the rest of him comes out. He lands on the mat between Stephanie's legs. Hours pass, or so it seems. There is this precious moment with just Stephanie, myself, with Timothy lying on the floor. Stephanie saying "I don't believe we just did that" and Timothy crying. I don't know how long we were like that. It seemed like forever but what probably just a second. Time again resumes. We then become aware of the midwife suggesting that Stephanie might like to lift her son up.
I simply cannot describe the honour and privilege of being permitted to enter into the experience and joy of delivering my own son into this world. It is one I hope I never forget.

See those two? They are simply brilliant. They followed instructions to the letter. They got their own breakfast. Cereal and milk. Michele, the one on the left is six. Cathy, the one on the right, is three. I am proud of those girls. They are just the best. I don't know what we did to deserve those two. But thank You Lord Jesus that you gave them to us. You have worked Your good and perfect will into them. No fuss, no bother. No arguing at all. They just got on and did what they had to do.
One more little detail. Michele knew what Timothy was to be named. Once mum was more respectably clad, we bought the two girls down to the bedroom to see their brother for the first time. I don't think Cathy quite realised what she was seeing. But she was amazed. Michele fully realised what she was seeing. Her eyes were wide open. I have never seen bigger eyes on a six year old. Stephanie and I hadn't told the midwife what Timothy's name was. We asked Michele what his name was. She said, in a very small quiet voice "Timothy". Again one of those moments not forgotten.
See this picture?

This is Sunday. Stephanie is absolutely exhausted. She goes to take a nap. The girls and I, with Timothy in my arms go and get the roast ready for dinner. Those girls again shine. Michele peals the potatoes and sweet potatoes. Cathy peels the carrots. Yes, they are eager and willing helpers in the kitchen. I cut up the potatoes and sweet potatoes. This I can do with Timothy lying in my arms. But there are some things that cannot be done while holding a baby. Cutting up pumpkin is one. Putting a baking dish full of roast veggies and meat in a hot oven is another. So Michele drops onto the floor and I place Timothy, who is sound asleep, onto her lap. Not a bad effort for a little girl, who until 24 hours earlier had never held a baby in her arms. And he doesn't even wake up.
Call this a joint effort.

Here is Cathy holding Timothy with Michele supporting his head. But the wonder in Cathy's eyes. I ask her what it feels like to hold him. In a very small voice she says "good".
Till next time........